On one of our first evenings in Selci Sabina in Italy, we experienced a fabulous meal and warm hospitality in a restaurant just a few kilometers from our house in the village. About a dozen of us — mostly American visitors — gathered at La Vecchia Quercia (“The Old Oak”) at the suggestion of our hosts, who have owned a home in the neighborhood for nearly a decade and have been coming to this area every year for almost twice that long. They were invaluable resources during our stay there, pointing out off-the-beaten-track finds such as this.

Owners Pino and Anna offer three suites here in their bed and breakfast in addition to operating the restaurant; and Anna, who makes everything from scratch in the kitchen (using a wood-fired oven), also offers cooking classes. Pictures on their website and in an on-site album hint at the cozy, comfortable rooms and the lovely countryside surrounding the property.

Pizzas are a popular option at La Vecchia Quercia, but this evening our group opted for a family-style offering of more than a dozen “starter” plates. This gave us a wonderful overview of the range of dishes, most featuring local meat and produce, which Anna whips up. We began with her wonderful bread and olive oil made on the premises and munched our way through grilled vegetable platters, homemade sausages, tampenades and pasta — eased down with some fine local vino, of course.

Dessert consisted of an amazing assortment of gelatos and sorbets in unusual flavors: walnut, peanut, kumquat, date, chestnut, banana, pear. The presentation was as unique as the offerings: Small scoops of each were presented in the shell or skin of its source. One might find, for instance, a frosty, seemingly whole walnut on the plate, only to find it possible to separate the two sides of the shell to reveal the icy goodness waiting inside.

Even now, months later, I am warmed by the thought of that delicious, convivial meal and pondering a means to return to the patio beneath that old spreading oak tree for another wonderful repast.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor